American Express® Gold Card vs Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students
American Express® Gold Card earns more in 5 of the 5 categories we track. Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students has the lower annual fee.
The basics
| Detail | American Express® Gold Card | Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $325 | None |
| Card type | Personal | Personal |
| Rewards | Membership Rewards | Bank of America Points |
| Each point is worth | 1.70¢ | 1.00¢ |
| Everywhere else | 1x | 1.5x |
| Welcome bonus | Up to 100,000 points after $8,000 in 6 months (offers vary) | 25,000 Bank of America Points after $1,000 in 90 days |
What each earns
| Category | American Express® Gold Card | Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students |
|---|---|---|
| Card Travel Portals | 8.5% (higher) 5x | 3.0% 3x |
| Dining & Restaurants | 6.8% (higher) 4x, capped spending, up to $50,000 | 1.5% 1.5x |
| Groceries | 6.8% (higher) 4x, capped spending, up to $25,000 | 1.5% 1.5x |
| Airfare | 5.1% (higher) 3x | 1.5% 1.5x |
| Everything else | 1.7% (higher) 1x | 1.5% 1.5x |
Returns are the points per dollar times what a point is worth, using your smart setting. Caps and rotating categories change what you actually earn. How we value rewards
The better question is which one adds more to the cards you already have.
Ask the advisor